What seems to be the easiest part of prayer? Asking. That’s what prayer usually becomes. At some point you start praising God, but then you start your list, right? And you feel guilty about it. You feel like you’re whining, like you’re nagging God, Like all you do is ask, ask, ask, ask. But. But don’t feel too bad. Look at what Jesus instructed in Luke Chapter 11.
Jesus said, This is how you should pray. Father, May your name be kept holy. May your kingdom come soon. Give us each day the food we need. And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation and keep us from being tested. Luke 11:2-4(NLT)
Jesus is giving you permission to ask. Not only is he giving you permission, he’s saying ask. Give me the requests of your heart. Don’t feel bad about asking. Jesus told us to ask. And if we look at the specifics of this prayer, this instruction that Jesus is giving, there’s actually four areas that we ask about that we that we request God’s leading in. And maybe this can help you to feel like it’s okay to ask. First of all…
MAY YOUR KINGDOM COME SOON
So one of the things we ask for is that God’s will be done in our lives and the lives of others. So pray God’s will. God, what is your will in this situation? Please make that happen. Second…
GIVE US EACH DAY THE FOOD WE NEED
Pray for your daily needs. You need to ask for your daily needs. Third…
AND FORGIVE US OUR SINS AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO SIN AGAINST US
Reconciliation. That’s the next thing God is Jesus is telling us to pray about. Forgive us our debtS as we forgive our debtors. In other words, forgive the foolishness that I do as I forgive the foolishness that has been done against me. That’s reconciliation. Fourth…
AND DON’T LET US YIELD TO TEMPTATION AND KEEP US FROM BEING TESTED
And then the final area that we pray about is spiritual warfare. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. There is a battle going on. It’s a battle for your mind. It’s a battle for your soul. And you’re supposed to be praying that God would help you, would protect you, that when you face temptations, you’re able to say no, that when the enemy is in front of you, that you can you can cast out the demons in your life. That is spiritual warfare. And you’re supposed to be praying about that as well. If you’re not praying for the power of the Holy Spirit into your life, you’re missing a huge, important component of prayer.